Space Marine Chapter Homeworld
Chapter Homeworlds, 999.M41]] Chapter Homeworld locations after the formation of the Great Rift in ca. 999.M41]] A Space Marine Chapter Homeworld is an Imperial planetological classification for a world that serves as a base for a Space Marine Chapter's fortress-monastery. For some Chapters the world also serves as their sole recruiting world; other Chapters draw their recruits from several planets. A "Chapter planet" is an Astartes world which is both governed by the Chapter as a feudal possession of the Imperium of Man and which serves as the base for their fortress-monastery. Astartes homeworlds may be Imperial planets, while some are not planets at all, but take the form of orbiting voidcraft, space stations, deserted moons or asteroids. The Master of the Chapter is often also the traditional feudal ruler of the Chapter planet, in which case the Chapter Master also holds the rank of Planetary Governor and Imperial Commander. Many Astartes homeworlds are Death Worlds, Feral Worlds and Feudal Worlds, whose primitive, conflict-prone societies provide the best natural warriors for recruitment. Not all Space Marine Chapters have a single homeworld; some Chapters such as the Imperial Fists, Black Templars and Blood Ravens take their Aspirants from several different worlds. Fleet-based Chapters do not possess homeworlds, and instead recruit from any convenient and promising worlds they pass near in the course of their duties. Several Space Marine Chapters guilty of crimes against the Emperor but still deemed redeemable by the Inquisition and the High Lords of Terra, such as the Mantis Warriors and Executioners, have been forced to forfeit their homeworlds -- which requires them to become Fleet-based Chapters. Space Marine Chapter Homeworld Variants The worlds of the Imperium are categorised according to a staggering range of factors, but can be divided into the loosely-defined groupings listed here. Most Space Marine Chapters maintain their fortress-monastery on the same world they recruit from, but this is not always the case. While the Space Wolves recruit exclusively from Fenris, for example, where they also maintain their fortress-monastery called The Fang, the Crimson Fists reside on the Civilised World of Rynn's World but recruit from other planets in the region. Hive World Viable planets for human settlement are an invaluable asset to the Imperium, and ones with large amounts of natural and desirable resources are ruthlessly exploited. Vast populations grow or are imported to service the industry that such resources spawns. The world's occupants are packed into industrial centres called hive cities so that as much of the surface remains as accessible as possible and the workforce can be controlled and focussed to maximum effect. The rulers of the Imperium care nothing for the quality of their workers' lives, only that quotas are met and output remains constant. Inevitably, in such an environment large sections of the population fall to destitution and anarchy, and while the forges and manufactoria are ruthlessly managed, vast areas of these cities are often abandoned to misrule and neglect as new ones are built. Amongst the undercities, lawless gangs fight for control, and from their numbers new Space Marine Aspirants are often recruited (typically forcibly). Space Marines residing on a Hive World are likely to maintain their fortress-monastery apart from the great bulk of the population. Some may construct their base at the very highest levels of the hive city, in rearing spires, but most are likely to claim an isolated region far out in the polluted wastes. Aside from the ready source of recruits afforded by the hive cities, the Chapter has access to a nigh-unending source of munitions, and it is likely that the master of each city is required by ancient law to provide the Chapter with a tithe of its industrial output in return for the protection the Chapter's presence affords. Feral World Feral Worlds are those planets colonised eons ago, long before the Age of the Imperium, which subsequently regressed to atavistic barbarism due to extended periods of isolation or other, less predictable factors. In a galaxy-spanning empire that harnesses the most powerful of technologies, the spear and the axe remain perhaps the most common weapon, for masses of worlds fall into this category, perhaps even more than any other type. With resources focused on key strategic worlds, there is no reason to spare the effort to "civilise" the natives of the numerous Feral Worlds. In many cases doing so would deprive the Imperium of a truly invaluable asset, for Feral Worlders are by definition amongst the toughest and most accomplished it is possible to recruit. As a result, many Space Marine Chapters make their homes on such worlds, close to the source of their recruits. A Space Marine Chapter based on a Feral World is likely to maintain a distance from the populace, with its fortress-monastery located on a distant and inaccessible island or high atop a mountain range. The Blood Angels' Chapter keep is located on one of its homeworld's moons, while the Mortifactors' is a starfort in orbit high above. In most cases, the savagery of the tribes from which the Chapter recruits is tempered by the training, indoctrination and psycho-conditioning imposed on its Neophytes, but in some cases the Chapter is very much shaped by the character of the population, inheriting not only its warlike qualities but many of its unique cultural mores. Death World Death Worlds are planets so inimitable to life that unless they harboured some essential resource Mankind would have no reason to set foot on them at all. Though no single terrain type defines this class of world, many are swathed in jungles populated by carnivorous plants as dangerous as any predatory beast, where even the air itself is poisonous. Most Death Worlds are impossible to settle, for every single living thing in them appears motivated to expel any intruders as if ruled by some overarching and utterly malicious intelligence. A tiny proportion have been settled, but life there is a daily, even hourly struggle for survival where one false step spells death at the slavering maw of some hideous Death World predator. The sort of cultures that spawn people able to reach maturity in such a place are amongst the most valuable recruiting grounds for the Space Marines, for the mere fact of surviving to adolescence marks an Aspirant as amongst the toughest Humanity is capable of producing. Those Chapters that call a Death World their home are likely to be experts in fighting in the particular type of terrain it features. To do so is not simply a matter of making the best use of the environment, but of surviving the very worst that environment can throw at the Battle-Brothers and even turning it against the foe. In occupying a Death World, a Chapter will be forced to defend itself constantly against the world itself, a fact that tests the Battle-Brothers continuously even when they are not fighting the enemies of the Imperium. While some locate their fortress-monasteries in orbit, others prefer to reside amidst the very worst of the Death World's environs, honing their skills even beyond those of the already legendary abilities of the Adeptus Astartes. Feudal World Feudal Worlds are those planets where the population has either risen above the crude tribal structures of a Feral World, or regressed from a more advanced level. In either case, it is likely to be external causes that have brought such a change about, whether deliberate or not. The population of a Feudal World is organised into relatively stable nation-states, with complex webs of vassal obligations linking extended groupings. Technologically, most of the inhabitants are ignorant of advanced machinery, but may utilise basic firearms manufactured locally. In all likelihood, all but the world's ruling classes are unaware of the Imperium at large. The majority of the population still hold to ancient superstitions, and are but one step away from barbarous savages. Many of these worlds are ruled with an iron fist by a warrior aristocracy that engages in ceaseless and brutal wars, often against its own peoples. Amongst such classes, the warrior code is all, and even the smallest slight against a warrior's honour is answered with a challenge, often to the death. Space Marine Chapters utilising Feudal Worlds as their base may keep their distance from the populace, as they do on Feral Worlds, or they may establish themselves as distant overlords, high-kings or secret warrior orders. A Chapter-Monastery on such a world is likely to be regarded by the populace as some impregnable keep where great heroes reside, and the subject of vast bodies of myth and legend. Civilised World The Imperial planetological categorisation "Civilised World" describes a wide range of societies and technology levels, but in general such worlds will be a functioning part of a larger Imperial sector, with trade links to nearby worlds. Contact with other planets and peoples is relatively common, amongst the upper echelons of society at least, and the people see themselves as subjects of the greater Imperium. The populations of such worlds enjoy a reasonable standard of living (for the 41st Millennium!) but that very fact makes them less suitable as a recruitment source for the Adeptus Astartes than many other types. In a society where an infant is more or less guaranteed to reach maturity without becoming the prey to some ravening predatory beast or being enslaved by a rival tribe, the survival instinct is comparatively low and unlikely to produce suitable raw material for the Space Marines. Only the most exceptional of Civilised Worlds ever provide recruits to the Adeptus Astartes, and these are generally societies with a strong warrior code imbued by hundreds of generations of service, perhaps rigorously enforced by a ruling military elite. The Ultramarines' Realm of Ultramar is such a region of the galaxy, where despite a reasonable standard of living, every family dreams of having a son accepted into the ranks of the Ultramarines, and ensures they are trained to the utmost degree as soon as they are able to walk. It is only those Civilised Worlds that maintain the most rigid military traditions that are likely to appeal to the Adeptus Astartes as a source for Aspirants. On some of these worlds, the Space Marine Chapter forms the very highest tier of a stratified and regimented society entirely focused on martial pursuits, where all aspire to the example set by the Adeptus Astartes. In most cases, a Chapter calling such a planet its homeworld maintains a distance from its subjects, remaining aloof, while in some, the Chapter's Astartes and civilian staff are fully integrated into a wider system of tradition, obligation and service. Uninhabited World There are plenty of Chapters that prefer to maintain their secrecy and isolate themselves from nearby populations. Fortunately, there is no shortage of barren or otherwise uninhabited worlds for such Chapters to utilise as bases of operation. The fact that even an apparently desolate, airless rock might harbour one of the greatest military forces in Humanity's arsenal is deterrent enough for many would-be invaders, and who knows how many itinerant outcasts have stumbled across a fully operational fortress-monastery whilst exploring some isolated world, and never lived long enough to tell the tale? Chapters utilising isolated, unpopulated planets as their homeworlds have to look farther afield for sources of recruitment, but they are rarely far from worlds they are entitled to recruit upon. Such Chapters may recruit from a variety of nearby planets, drawing their recruits from Feral World tribes, Hive World gangs or any other source. Mixing several sources in a single intake of Neophytes provides its own set of challenges, but ultimately, produces a wide range of skills and qualities that serve the Chapter well wherever it serves. Fleet-Based Fleet-based Chapters make their homes on vast space-going vessels. Often these are unique artefacts predating the Age of the Imperium, or in the case of the Dark Angels' fortress-monastery, The Rock, a vast chunk of planetary debris hollowed out and fitted with the very largest of Warp-Drives. Many of these Chapters travel the galaxy in vast circuits, taking Terran centuries to pass through a single segmentum, while others limit their movements to ancient, hereditary spheres of influence and areas of responsibility. Fleet-based Chapters recruit from a wide range of planets. Sometimes they hold the exclusive rights to recruit at particular worlds, although the populations of those worlds may know nothing of any such arrangement. Others make a point of seeking out new societies to recruit from, ever vigilant for promising recruits. Should an exceptional source be discovered, some Chapters establish small facilities in order to watch over the population and test Aspirants, as is the case with the Black Templars Chapter. Upon discovering a singularly valuable recruiting source, some Fleet-based Chapters may even abandon their itinerant existence, claim the world and establish a fortress-monastery. Because they tend to recruit from a variety of sources, Fleet-based Chapters are more unlikely than any other type to inherit the ways of the communities it recruits from. By way of example, one of the Chapter Masters of the Dark Angels was born amongst the head-hunting savages of the Feral World of Kimmeria. Yet he is counted amongst the most noble and charismatic of the Chapter's leaders, in no small part because the Chapter's own identity is so established and ingrained that even the most extreme of outside influences has little or no effect on it. Relationship with Chapter Homeworld How does the Chapter govern its homeworld? Space Marine Chapters with a homeworld are its ultimate masters, with total control over their domain and any peoples living there. The Chapter Master holds the same powers as a Planetary Governor, indeed, potentially more for his political and military force is far greater. While most Chapters take little part in the political and economic affairs of the population of their homeworld, some involve themselves to varying degrees. These arrangements can be summarised as direct rule, stewardship and distant rule, as detailed below. Direct Rule The Chapter rules over its homeworld and subject peoples directly, and its leaders are regarded by them as figures of ultimate authority. It is comparatively rare for a Chapter to involve itself in the practical considerations of administering its homeworld, and even when one does so, the more prosaic details are often left to Chapter Serfs or leaders chosen by various means from the population. The advantage of direct rule is that the Chapter can enforce every element of its will upon its subjects, shaping their development the better to produce promising Aspirants. In times of outright war, the Space Marines may take direct control over the world's military, sometimes even despatching its officers to serve as generals amongst the lesser armies. Stewardship Some Chapters cede the administration of their subjects to a ruling class drawn from the population, issuing broad directives but maintaining their distance. The Space Marines are regarded as figureheads, and may even attend traditional events and services, such as the Feast of the Emperor's Ascension or its local equivalent. Generally, the people hold the Space Marines in awe, even if they rarely see them, and every family aspires to one of its sons being selected to serve in their ranks. Should the homeworld face invasion, the Space Marines may revert to direct rule for the duration of the emergency, or at the very least have the power to issue grand strategy to the world's indigenous armies. Distant Rule Many Chapters lay claim to a particular homeworld, yet are rulers in name only. In practice, they take no hand in the affairs of their subjects. Indeed, many Chapters prefer to keep their recruiting stock as "pure" as possible, trapping them as flies in amber in the state that makes them such ideal Aspirants in the first place. If the population is even aware of the existence of the Space Marines, they are distant, semi-mythological figures, whose appearance is a portent of great things. In the event of an enemy threatening the world, the Space Marines are likely to assume the burden of its defence, but are less likely to interact with the population directly. Select List of Adeptus Astartes Homeworlds Sources *''Codex Adeptus Astartes - Space Marines'' (8th Edition), pp. 16-17 *''Codex Adeptus Astartes - Blood Angels'' (7th Edition) (Digital Edition), pp. 59-61 *''Codex: Blood Angels'' (5th Edition) *''Codex: Chaos Daemons'' (6th Edition), pg. 23 *''Codex: Dark Angels'' (5th Edition) *''Codex: Orks'' (7th Edition), pg. 65 *''Codex: Space Marines'' (5th Edition), pp. 30-31 *''Codex: Tyranids'' (5th Edition), pg. 28 *''Dataslate: Cypher - Lord of the Fallen'', pg. 21 *''Deathwatch: Rites of Battle (RPG), pp. 24-26, 28-29 *''Imperial Armour Volume Four - The Anphelion Project, pp. 121-129 *''Imperial Armour Volume Nine - The Badab War, Part One'', pp. 7, 24, 40-41 *''Imperial Armour Volume Ten - The Badab War, Part Two'' *''Index Astartes: Death Company'' (Ebook), pg. 15 *''Red WAAAGH! Campaign Supplement'' (E-Book), pg. 9 *''Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook'' (6th Edition) *''White Dwarf Issue 45'' (6 Dec 2014), "Brothers In Blood," pg. 44 *''The Flight of the Eisenstein'' (Novel) by James Swallow *''A Thousand Sons'' (Novel) by Graham McNeill *''Prospero Burns'' (Novel) by Dan Abnett *''Rynn's World'' (Novel) by Steve Parker *''The Last Days of Ector'' (Novella) by Guy Haley *''Eminence Sanguis'' (Short Story) by Guy haley *''Sanctus Reach: Penumbral Spike'' (Short Story) by Ben Counter *''Sanctus Reach: Black Gulch'' (Short Story) by Ben Counter Category:S Category:Imperial planets Category:Imperium Category:Planets Category:Space Marine Chapter Homeworld Category:Space Marines